Cowells Surf Shop
Cowells is a locally owned business for over 20 years, and has introduced countless people to the joy of surfing. They have a wide selection of clothing, rentals, and boards.
Pete and Kathy Pappas opened Cowell’s Surf Shop in 1988 to replace the family auto shop that burned down. The shop stayed in the family for more than 30 years, today owned by Pete and Kathy’s son Robby. Robby grew up watching his parents run the store and remembered not wanting to work there as a child because of how busy his parents were but earned an appreciation for it as he grew up.
“You take it for granted. I don’t know how it would be to not own a surf shop and not have this beautiful corner down here, right in the middle of Santa Cruz,” Pappas said. “I’ve been down here my whole life.”
As a child, Robby would wait with his brother at Cowell’s Beach for their parents to get off work. He remembers summers when his father would not take any days off from working at the store. His mother would do behind-the-scenes work like filing taxes.
Robby remembers his father wanting to provide an opportunity for all people to come and surf in Santa Cruz, even if they were new to the area or sport.
“I used to teach [surf] lessons, me and my brother,” Robby said. “That’s one of my favorite memories is just how stoked people get when we would take them out surfing. I think a lot of surf shops don’t approach it like that. They’re more like a ‘surfing for locals only’ vibe.”
Robby Pappas, owner
Visit Cowells by clicking below:
Santa Cruz 95060
United States